The present invention relates to vehicle seats, and more particularly to a multi-layer vehicle seat that is made and assembled without requiring adhesives. The invention also relates to a method of making such vehicle seats.
Seats for vehicles such as motorcycles usually have a supporting base layer, a cushion layer, and an exterior cover layer. Traditionally, a molded cushion is formed on the base layer and a cover is stitched and fitted over the cushion. While seats of this type are high in quality and have excellent durability, it would be useful to develop a seat of similar quality which can be formed more efficiently.
It is an object of the invention to provide a novel method for making a durable vehicle seat at a reduced production cost.
Another object is to provide a vehicle seat that can be fabricated without the use of adhesive coatings.
A further object is to provide a method for a high quality vehicle seat that can be molded using a mold set comprised of a base mold and a multiplicity of separate upper molds.
Yet another object is to provide a method of making a vehicle seat which results in minimal emissions of volatile oxygen compounds (VOCs).
It has now been found that the foregoing and related objects may be readily attained in a novel method of making a vehicle seat. The method comprises the steps of providing a seat mold having a lower element, and a plurality of upper elements, applying a seat cover to the surface of the lower element of the seat mold, the seat cover including a seating portion and a skirt portion extending upwardly along the inside periphery of the lower element of the mold and outwardly thereof, introducing a first foamable synthetic resin into the lower element on the seating portion of the seat cover, interfitting a first upper element of the seat mold on the lower element, and at least partially curing the first foamable synthetic resin to form a cushioning layer. The first upper mold element is removed, and a generally ring-shaped support element is formed on the cushioning layer about its periphery. The skirt portion of the seat cover is then folded inwardly over the generally ring-shaped support element, and a second synthetic resin is introduced into the lower element of the seat mold on the first foamable synthetic resin. A second upper mold element of the mold is interfitted on the lower element of the mold, and the second synthetic resin is cured to produce the seat base layer. Any additional curing required for the first synthetic resin takes place simultaneously. The vehicle seat is then removed from the mold.
Preferably, the generally ring-shaped support layer is reaction injection molded directly onto the cushioning layer. The step of forming a generally ring-shaped support layer preferably includes the steps of interfitting a ring-forming upper mold element on the lower element of the seat mold, injecting a reaction injection moldable resin into the mold between the ring-forming upper element and the cushioning layer, and removing the ring-forming upper element. The reaction injection moldable material bonds to the cushion layer during reaction.
In one preferred form of the invention, the second upper element has hardware receiving cavities therein in which are placed seat hardware. In this embodiment, the step of interfitting the second upper mold element on the lower element of the mold embeds the seat hardware into the second synthetic resin.
Thus, it can be seen that vehicle seat has the cellular cushioning layer self-bonded directly to the cover, and the generally ring-shaped support element disposed adjacent to the cushioning and is self bonded to it. The seat base layer self-bonded directly to the cushioning layer and to the generally ring-shaped support element and the skirt portion of the cover.
The cushioning layer preferably comprises a foamed thermoset resin, and more preferably comprises a thermosetting polyurethane. The seat base layer preferably comprises a thermosetting resin. Desirably, the cover layer comprises natural leather, a synthetic resin sheet material or canvas.